


don't leave(s)

by tinytonysnark



Series: snapshots of Falling for you [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-25 22:22:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20731649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinytonysnark/pseuds/tinytonysnark
Summary: For the Fall Starters: Looks like it's time to rake the leaves





	don't leave(s)

Heading into the new month, the air takes on a sharper smell that brings about the specific feeling of being wrapped in freshly laundered blankets still warm from the dryer. The air is  _ crisp  _ and Bucky is crunching on leaves with his every step as he’s walking hand in hand with Tony.

God, Tony has somehow gotten cuter during the Fall, stunning against the backdrop of the pretty red and golden hues surrounding them.

He’s wearing Bucky’s orange beanie on his head, his curls poking out around his forehead and his glasses are incrementally slipping down his nose with every sip he takes of his coffee. 

They’re heading back to Tony’s dorm after having lunch together, cutting through the park as a shortcut when the sound of a leaf blower startles the both of them, Tony flinching into Bucky’s side. 

“It’s fine, babe, just a man wasting perfectly good leaves,” he says, rubbing circles into Tony’s back. 

“Yeah, just scared the hell out of me is all,” Tony exhales. “And don’t act like you didn’t jump too Mr. Tough Guy, that was  _ loud _ as shit.’

“I didn’t  _ jump _ , I was merely caught off guard is all,” Bucky tells him, tugging him closer. “Leaf blowers are such cheats anyway. Everyone knows raking is the way to go, makes jumping into the leaves more satisfactory.”

“Jump- jumping into the leaves?” 

“Yeah, Stevie and I used to do it all the time when we were younger,” Bucky says as they continue walking. “Both our Ma’s thought were were gonna get sick with how often we’d be out in the cold every day, just raking the leaves, jumping in them and then doin’ it all over again. On the other hand, the caretaker for the apartment building was  _ thrilled _ by the child labour.”

“Wow, the both of you were so easy to scam,” Tony says, smiling but he’s looking back towards the park, a little wistfully.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’ve just- it sounds fun is all. I’ve never done it,” Tony admits, trying to give Bucky a reassuring smile but it just makes Bucky’s stomach squirm a little. 

He forgets sometimes, just how much of Tony’s childhood was taken from him.

He has a lot of things he’d like to say, not all of them to Tony but he only asks, “What would you and your Ma do for Fall? Any traditions?”

The smile he’s graced with then is a little more real, but as they got closer to Tony’s dorm, the other boy talking about how the yearly tradition of baking Pumpkin Bread with his Ma started, he’s already trying to think of a way to get his favourite type of smile from Tony. The one that reaches his eyes and light up his whole face and makes Bucky feel that he could do just about anything whenever it’s directed at him. 

It’s deadly, that smile. 

He drops Tony off in the lobby of his dorm, making an excuse that’s not  _ technically _ a lie about forgetting to meet with Steve, and heads back to the park.

He calls Steve on the way, telling him to get his butt to the park and to bring Sam along. 

Steve huffs at him and tells him he’s a sap, but says he’ll be there in 20 before hanging up without a goodbye. Punk.

The old man with the leaf blower, who’s got a name tag that reads Stan, is still at the park and he turns of the machine when he spots Bucky trying to get his attention. “What can I do you for, son?”

“Afternoon, sir. Was just wondering if you wouldn’t mind if piled up all the leaves around here? Trynna relive some childhood memories, you see and well, create new ones,” Bucky explains, colour flooding his cheeks over how ridiculous he must sound to this man.

Stan only huffs a laugh and points to three rakes that are up against a tree. Huh. “Had a feeling I should be bringing those with me today and my feelings ain’t ever wrong. You’re more than welcome to take over. I’m tired of this anyway,” Stan tells him before walking off and leaving Bucky alone in the park.

“Well,” he stares at all the leaves Stan blew haphazardly around the trunk of a tree, “**looks like it’s time to rake the leaves.**”

* * *

“Nat, you  _ never _ want to go for a walk in the park,” Tony whines as Nat drags him out of his room. “You like to say that a park is where you’re going to be murdered and you say it with certainty because I  _ know _ you’re a witch who can see visions of the future.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous, I will not be killed  _ here  _ at this park. It’s far too soon.”

“I thought you said you were busy this week and quote, ‘can’t hang with you losers’, which one, rude and two, makes you a loser just by association, so ha.”

“As if I’d ever be mistaken for a loser,” she sniffs. 

“Alright, that’s fair, but what is going on with the outfit today?” he asks her, eyeing the knitted wool beanie on her head, the candy apple red scarf around her neck, the fingerless gloves and brown suede boots ensemble she got going on. “Not that it’s bad or anything, but you look like what the physical manifestation Taylor Swift’s Red album right now.”

“Shut up, I’m season appropriate and Red deserved a Grammy, that’s just a fact.”

“True, but certain songs really should have been aco-” he trails off as they come in sight of the park and sees Bucky, Steve, Sam and Bruce standing there among piles and piles and piles of leaves.

Nat nudges him in the side, grin wide on her face. “Bucky wanted a fun day in the park to surprise you.”

“Hey, doll,” Bucky calls out, jogging over to him. “What do you think? Wanna head in?”

Tony can't help it. He smashes his lips onto Bucky's, and it’s terrible, their teeth clack and he’s grinning to wide for it not to be awkward and their friends are make gagging noises behind them but god, he _doesn’t care_ because this man, this s _ tupidly gorgeous lovely man _ did all this for him and it’s feels like he’s gonna combust from how warm he feels. 

He pulls back, looking at the pile of leaves that go up to Bucky’s knees and asks, “How do I- Do I just jump?”

He doesn’t even have time to process the mischievous glint in Bucky’s eyes before he’s scooped up. “Best way is to be thrown in.”

_ “Thrown?” _

Bucky tosses him into the pile and he lets out a shriek of laughter as he goes sinking in. 

He pops out and his glasses are halfway down his face and bits of leaves are poking at him in every direction but when smiles up at Bucky, the smile he gets in return lights him up in a way that nothing else ever has and, possibly ever will. 

It’s deadly, that smile. 

**Author's Note:**

> this was meant to go up at the same time as it did on tumblr but that didn't really pan out lol  
anyway, hope you liked it! (also Red is THE autumnal album and DESERVED a Grammy)  
Come [pick one of the prompts](https://tinytonysnark.tumblr.com/ask>%20say%20hi%20</a>%20or%20you%20can%20<a%20href=) and I'll write it! xx


End file.
